Ghost World
by Zaphra Ti'Gan
Summary: Rogue is having nightmares, but are they just nightmares, or is it a memory? Please read on...the story is much better than the summary! Chapter 4 is now UP!
1. Lullabye and Goodnight

Hey Everyone!  
  
I'd like to start out by saying this is a total ROMY fic! I have no idea when it takes place but I think it would be somewhere in the original X-Men cartoon series. I only wish there was a place for those as well as Evolution!  
  
I'm not really sure how this is going to turn out, but it will somehow. I have never tried to write a chapter story before, so this'll be interesting. Oh wait, I lie. I did one chapter story once. I never finished it. Well I won't make that mistake again. Ya, famous last words. Well I'll try not too!  
  
I could really use a Beta if anyone is interest in the position. Just let me know.  
  
As always, with any story, reviews are greatly appreciated. But this is my first X-Men fic so please no flames. I do love to hear what you have to say, so constructive criticism is welcome. Oh and I hope I do okay with the accents. I'm sure I've murdered them, but it's the best I can do!  
  
Well, I guess that's it for now. Now on with the disclaimers!  
  
Disclaimer. "I own na'zing! Na'zing I tell you!" Okay, so I stole that too!  
  
I have no idea who wrote this song originally, but I think you all know it's a classic.  
  
Ghost World  
  
Lullaby and Goodnight  
  
"Lullaby and goodnight  
With roses bedight  
With lilies o'er spread  
Is baby's wee bed.  
Lay thee down now and rest  
May thy slumber be blessed.  
Lay thee down now and rest  
May thy slumber be blessed."  
  
The little girl knew that tonight she would be going to heaven, daddy had told her so. She was scared but daddy had promised that he and mommy would be going with her. He placed her teddy bear in her arms while he sang to her, and placed a cloth of chloroform against her mouth and nose. Her eyes began to feel very heavy and she whispered "I love you, daddy." Just before she fell asleep. When he was sure his baby girl was fast asleep the large man placed her gently beside her mother and waited for fumes to take her up to heaven, to where she's always be safe.  
  
When she woke up, the child looked around for her mommy and daddy. They promised to be waiting for her. But instead she was in a big bed with bars around it. A large lady dressed in white came to where she lay.  
  
"Are you an angel?" she asked quietly in her church voice. Angels liked to be talked to softly, she remembered mommy saying that once when she was being to loud in church one day.  
  
"No Marie, I'm not an angel." The woman said simply.  
  
Marie screamed with every ounce of breath that she had.  
  
Please read and review! 


	2. Can't Wash it all Away

Okay, so here's the first REAL chapter. I completely forgot to include the disclaimer to this chapter the first time I posted it, so here it is.  
  
Evanescence owns the song Understanding (Wash it all Away). Awesome group, amazing song! Blows me away whenever I hear it.  
  
Also a big thank you to Tammy for reviewing. I hope you enjoy the next chapter as just as much as the first two. It should be done in a few days.  
  
Wash it all Away  
  
"You hold the answers deep within your own mind.  
  
Consciously, you've forgotten it.  
  
That's the way the human mind works.  
  
Whenever something is too unpleasant, to shameful for us  
  
to entertain, we reject it.  
  
We erase it from our memories.  
  
But the imprint is always there."  
  
Rogue wandered aimlessly through the park, again. The nightmares were coming back to her, she thought they had gone, long ago, but they were back and though she hated to admit it, they were getting to her. Getting to sleep was a problem but she refused to take sleeping pills. She could get through this, she had every time before. It had been weeks, maybe more, since Rogue had been able to sleep properly, this was the third time in a week she had gone out by herself, just trying to do something to keep from going mad. The silence didn't really start to bother her until three or four. Then, if she survived those two horribly slow hours, it would be five and everything would start over again. The day would be reborn. But now the days just melted in together. How can you tell one day from the next if your constantly awake?  
  
So here she was, in the pitch-black park at three thirty in the morning. Alone. The faint smell of rain hung in the air, and the wind picked up a little. Whether it was Orono's senses or her own Rogue couldn't tell, but she knew a storm was coming. Anyone else would have been scared, scared of being out at night alone, scared if there were more than just one voice in their head, but not Rogue. What did she have to be afraid of? She could render almost any attacker unconscious and as for the voices, the minds of anyone she had ever touched, well that still frightened her a little, but it was a part of who she was.  
  
So lost in her thoughts, it wasn't until he was almost right on top of her that Rogue noticed she had company. She stood, ready to fight whoever it was that dared disturb her, but instead relaxed as she felt the warmth of a woollen blanket wrap gently round her shoulders. She didn't need to look up to know who it was, his faint cologne and the way he held her gave him away.  
  
"Dis becoming a bad habit, Chere." Remy stated as he wrapped his arms closer around her increasingly small figure. Rogue said nothing, too tried to fight with him, and too tried to run. Instead she just laid her head against his chest and sighed heavily. All she wanted to do was to sleep.  
  
It didn't take a mind reader to see there was something seriously wrong with Rogue, Gambit thought as he led her over to a park bench. Just by holding her he could tell she had lost weight, she felt like nothing but skin and bones. For the most part she had hidden her eyes behind make-up, but he could still see they were sunken.  
  
"Come on Chere, we go back to de house. Y' need t' sleep some."  
  
"Remy," Rogue whispered softly, "Can we jus' stay here farha lil' bit? Please, sugah?" She pleaded. Just a few minutes more and then they'd go home.  
  
"Alright, den, jus' a few minutes." Gambit agreed.  
  
As the first raindrops began to fall, Remy woke Rogue up and together they found shelter in a garage for the night, unlocked thanks to Gambit's talent as a lock pick. 


	3. Rainy Days and Mondays

Okay, so here is the next chapter! I'd like to thank all my reviewers, cause they are just so nice! So thanks to Tammy, Dotty, ishandahalf, eight ball, enchantedlight and Ms. Rogue LeBeau!!!  
  
I tried to make this chapter a little longer for you guys, cause I can't stand short chapters when I'm reading stories either.  
  
You all know it, but I'll say it again. I do not own any of the marvel characters or the song Rainy Days and Mondays (that belongs to the Carpenters). I only own Becca and Aimee.

**Rainy Days and Mondays  
**  
Funny but it seems I always wind up here with you  
  
It's nice to know somebody loves me  
  
Funny but it seems that it's the only thing to do  
  
To run and find the one who loves me

Storm watched as the rain poured down from the sky. It was a good rain, a solid rain; it would be good for the grass. Unfortunately what was good for the goose was not always good for the gander, though in this case, she mused, what was good for the grass was not always good for her friends. Orono had seen Rogue leave the mansion some time ago, and then, not long afterwards had watched Gambit go after her. Since both had yet to return, she assumed they had been caught in the rain and had been forced to take shelter.  
  
Oh well, those two deserved to have some time to themselves, it was a very rare occasion at times and it was nice just to get away. However, it may have been more comfortable if they had just gotten a hotel room.

"Gawd Ah am cold! Ya know, we should have jus' gotten a room for tha night. It would've been more comfortable than this!" Rogue fumed quietly. She was trying to get in a partly manageable position on an old rocking chair she'd found, but nothing seemed to be working. It was just impossible when you were cold, wet and exhausted.  
  
"Sneekin' out be your idea, belle. Remy, he jus' go where you take 'im."  
  
"Ah, be quiaht, swamp rat. Ah know whose fahlt it is. Ya don't need ta rub 't in!"  
  
"Sorry Chere. Gambit did't mean 't like that." Remy said softly as he made his way over to her. She hadn't been exaggerating when she had said she was cold. Even with just the soft glow of his lighter, Remy could see her lips were a pale shade of blue, and her body was shaking even with the extra warmth of her blanket.  
  
"Ah know, Sugah. Ah'm jus' tired." Rogue said through a yawn. Her eyes felt like lead, and, if she was at all comfortable she might have even gotten some sleep. Suddenly she began to laugh. The whole situation had just gotten to hilariously ironic.  
  
"Wha' s' funny, Chere?" Remy asked, thoroughly confused. One minute his head was being chewed off, then she starts to laugh for no reason? The only logical assumption would be his belle femme had a fever and was delirious.  
  
"Oh Rem," Rogue giggled, "This is too funny."  
  
"Wha' is?"  
  
"This!" She said waving her hand around the damp garage. "I can't believe that I haven't been able to sleep for weeks in a nice soft warm bed. Now, we're here in a cool, damp shed, with no bed and I'm really to fall asleep. It is just too much!"  
  
At her explanation, which seemed lucid enough, Gambit started to laugh with her. It felt good to laugh; there hadn't been enough laughter lately. When they had settled down again, Remy led Rogue to an old lazy boy recliner he had found in the back. He sat down and drew her onto his lap, her head tucked safely in his shoulder. Holding on to her body as tightly as he dared, Remy whispered into her hair. "Bonne nuit mon amour. Bonne nuit."

Scott paced the kitchen floor, his face contorted in frustration.

"Were are they? They should have been home hours ago." Storm sighed patently into her tea. "They just went out for the night, Cyclopes. There is no reason for concern. They will be home presently."  
  
"They should have at least told someone where they were going." Scott huffed. Storm sighed again. "It is hard to tell someone where they are going when they themselves will not know until they get there." Storm said, almost enjoying the look of bewilderment that flashed on Scott's face before he had a chance to analyse her words.  
  
"Even so, they should have said something."  
  
"Perhaps, but they are grown adults and are quiet able to take care of themselves." Storm replied, her voice indicating that the discussion was over. For now they would just wait.

"Becca, don't worry 'bout the key, it's open!" Aimee shouted to her friend, who had turned the basement upside down looking for the key to the garage.

"Great!" Becca shouted back. "But I found it anyway." She replied running up the stairs and out the back door.  
  
"So where are the bikes?"  
  
"Umm, I think they're by the cabinet. Don't forget to check for spiders in the helmets!" As they were getting the two bikes, and spider infested helmets out of the garage a sudden noise made Becca stop in her tracks. "Ouch! Becca what'd ya stop movin' for?"  
  
"Listen. Hear that?" Aimee listened as hard as she could but could only pick up the sounds of a mouse running somewhere in the roof.  
  
"Your losing it Becca, come on!"  
  
"I am NOT losing it, Aimee, I heard something in there!" Beginning to loose her patience with the other girl, Aimee threw up her hands. "Alright! You win! Lets see what Becca has won, shall we."  
  
They walked to the very back of the garage, where all the furniture was kept and screamed.

Well, what did you think? Please tell me! Read and Review!


	4. Someday my Prince Will Come

Wow, has it ever been awhile! I'm not sure if anyone is still interested in this fic anymore but what the hey! So this chapter was by far the hardest to write. I'm still not happy with it but I think the next few are going to be pretty neat. I will try desperately to get one more chapter up before I take a two-week vacation with my family. It will sadly be my first time seeing the ocean. Living in Toronto (Canada) is not all that its cracked up to be. LOL, so now that I've taken up most of your time, please remember to read and review!  
  
Thank you's are going out to: Ms. Rogue LeBeau, Ishandahalf, Enchantedlight, Shadow Spirit, and Pookie Sanchez. Thanks Guys, you're all great!  
  
P.S: I could still use a Beta if anyone's interested in the job!  
  
Someday my Prince Will Come  
  
Rogue woke up in a shot as she heard the high-pitched wail. Remy was already on his feet, cards in hand.  
  
"I told you! I told you I heard something!" One of the girls kept saying, over and over again. The other girl looked much more dangerous as she started to swing her helmet around like a weapon and screaming like a banshee.  
  
"Get out! Get out! You can't be here. Get Out!"  
  
Rogue looked at the girls, they're faces couldn't have been more different. One girl had gone as white as a ghost, while the banshee was beet red. If it weren't for the fact that she had found a hockey stick, it would have been comical.  
  
"Alriaht, alriaht. Don't swing that thing at me, we're leaving." Rogue backed away slowly so she didn't frighten them anymore then they had already been.  
  
"'t's ok petite." Gambit soothed, "We don' mean y' any harm. We jus' needed t' wait ou' th' storm, see." The hockey stick lowered an inch. "See, everythin' gonna be ok." Another inch. "Now how 'bout you give that t' me, petite, so no one gets hurt." The girl lowered the stick into Remy hands and let go.  
  
"Thank you belle." Gambit reached down and kissed the girl's hand. She giggled and Rogue swore she could see the girl's drooling over him. She had no idea how he did it but soon both girls were introducing themselves and offering them a glass of juice.  
  
They stayed only long enough for the juice. Anymore and Rogue was sure someone was going to come home. They were lucky enough as it was that none of the neighbours had come running.  
  
"Well, we best be off. Thank ya very much for th' juice girls." Rogue offered, trying to make a fast get away. Thankfully Remy took the hint and with a soft kiss on girls's hand, their fairy tale prince left with his Princess into the mid morning sun.  
  
"You mind telling us where you two were last night?" Cyclopes asked as the two, supposedly AWOL, mutants entered the backdoor of the Xavier Institute. They looked around the kitchen to see that not only was Cyclopes there but Logan, Jean, Jubilee and the Professor had returned from their mission and were waiting for them as well. The only one who they didn't see was Storm.  
  
"Ya don' need ta be treatin' us like kids' Cycke," Rogue stated, getting her back up a bit. "We're home, we're fiahne, so there's no need ta be callin' out the truant officars. Now, if ya'll excuse meh, I'm goin' ta bed." And without another word she flew up to her room.  
  
Gambit wanted to follow her but decided he'd only be a distraction and she really needed her sleep. So instead he went to relax in the rec room, maybe play a few rounds of pool. Unfortunately the professor had other plans.  
  
'Remy, I'd like to see you privately in my office for a few minutes if that's all right with you. I believe we have a few things to discuss.'  
  
Nodding his head in agreement, Remy quickly went to check on Rogue before going to talk with the prof.  
  
"Gambit, I am not going to mince words with you." The professor started, his body sitting rigidly in his chair, his eyes clearly emphasizing the tension already showing in his face.  
  
"I am becoming increasingly troubled for Rogue's well being. She is noticeably thinner then she was a few months ago and seems to be withdrawing from the group. From what Storm has told me, she has been going off on her on quiet a lot at night and though she is more than capable of protecting herself, in her weakened state I am extremely concerned for her safety." He stopped to let his words to sink in before continuing.  
  
"I would like to ask you if there has been anything lately that you can recall that might have contributed to this, or might have set it off."  
  
Gambit thought this over for a long time, going over the past few weeks in his head, trying to pinpoint some kind of event that might have started the downward spiral Rogue seemed to be in but nothing stuck out in his mind.  
  
"Non, Remy can't t'ink of a t'ing, not right now, anyway. Maybe something come up later."  
  
The Professor nodded. "All right, however if you do think of anything I'd like to know about it."  
  
"'course, Prof. Remy'll let you in on it." With another nod of his head indicating that they were done, for the moment at least, the professor turned around to face the window. Remy left to go do a few rounds in the Danger Room; maybe he could convince Beast to join him. Anything to help him relax. 


End file.
